Means for equalizing the flow in heat exchange



Oct. 31, 1939. H. P. BOWSER 2.178.095

MEANS FOR EQUALIZING THE FLOW IN HEAT EXCHANGE I Filed Jan. 7, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I L v w Fi 9 Fr":-

Oct. 31, 1939.

H. P. BOWSER MEANS FOR EQUALIZING THE FLOW IN HEAT EXCHANGE Filed Jan. 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v wanton H BB 0 W5 2 r irIII lllllll'lt Patented Oct. 31, 1939 UNl'iED STATES PATENT orrics IWEANS FOR EQUALIZING THE FLOW IN HEAT EXCHANGE Application January 7, 1938, Serial No. 183,897

2 Claims.

This invention relates to means for equalizing the flow of liquid through a plurality of parallel pipes or ducts and particularly to equalizing the flow through the cooling tubes or pipes of an automobile radiator.

I have found it to be a fact that in no radiators coming under my observation were the cooling tubes efficient. This is for the reason that the only water circulating tubes that were active in these radiators were those nearest the opening leading to the circulation pump and only those tubes were active which were necessary in order to deliver water equal to the capacity of the pump. Thus if the capacity of thepump was twenty ga1 lons per minute, only those tubes necessary to deliver twenty gallons, these tubes being nearest to the suction of the pump, were utilized. This is particularly true of the radiators used in connection with large and powerful internal combustion engines.

The general object of my invention is to provide means whereby all of the tubes or water conveying ducts shall do an equal share of the work or, in other words, that the water shall flow in equal proportions through each tube.

In order to secure this result, I have devised the structure which'is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

l. is a vertical sectional view through the radiator of an automobile, the tubes of the radiator being shown in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a vertical medial section through the radiator shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the lower portion of a radiatorshowing a modification oi the invention.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the structure shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a like View to Fig. 4 but showing a modified form of means for supporting the water ba-filing pan.

In Figs, 1 and 2, I have shown a radiator comprising a tube supporting frame It, the upper plate 55, and the lower plate l2. Attached to the margin of the upper plate II is a header l3 having an inlet it. Attached to the margin of the lower plate 52 is a lower header l5 having a water outlet i3. Extending through the plates H and i2 are a plurality of parallel tubes H, the upper and lower ends of these tubes extending through the plates ii and [2 an equal distance, that is, all of the upper ends of the tubes have the same extent above the plate I l and the lower ends of all of the tubes have the same extent below the plate l2.

- regard to the lower end of the radiator.

Supported above the upper ends of the tubes ll and within the header I3 is a baiile plate designated l8. This bafile plate at its ends is downwardly flanged, as at Hi, this flange extending downward below the upper ends of the tubes ll. Preferably and as illustrated, this bailie plate 18 is supported by screws it which extend up through the header l3 and have screw-threaded engagement therewith so that the plate it may be raised or lowered. Set nuts 2! hold the plate in any adjusted position. Disposed below the lower ends of the tubes is a baille plate 22 having upwardly extending marginal flanges 2?, these flanges extending above the lower ends of the tubes ll. This bafile plate 22 is also adjustably supported as, for instance, by the screws 25 extending through the header I3 and having screwthreaded engagement therewith and being held by the set nuts 25.

It will be seen that with this construction, the water entering the upper end of the radiator through the pipe i 4 flows, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 1, over the plate 18 and down and around the flanged margins of this plate, then upward under the flanges l9 and then down through the pipes. Of course, it is to be understood that the space above the plate will be filled with water and that water will fill the space around the margin of the plate It and the space beneath the plate 13, but with this construction, an equalized flow of water to the upper ends of the tubes ll is produced, so that all of the tubes secure an equal quantity of water and the same. is true with The water flowing out of the tube ll flows into the pan-like plate or baffle 22, flows upward over the edges of the flanges 23 and then flows into the space below the plate 22 and passes out through the opening Iii. Thus an equal depth of water is kept beneath-all of the tubes and an equal amount of water flows from each tube. The suction of the pump is thus equalized so that all of the tubes do the same amount of work.

In Fig. 3, I illustrate the lower end of a radiator operating on exactly the same principle as that shown in Fig. 1, but in which the lower plate E2 of the radiator is provided with a downwardly extending apron 26, which is attached to the lower plate I2 exteriorly of the row of tubes I1 and extends down into the pan-like bailie plate 22. In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the baffle plate 22 is supported upon transversely extending brackets 21 in the manner shown in Fig. l. It is to be understood, however, that this plate 22 might be supported by the screws in the manner previously described and shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 5, I have shown the baffle plate 22 as being supported by brackets 28 extending down- Ward from the plate [2. Otherwise than this, the construction shown in Fig. 5 is precisely the same as in Fig. 4. The upper baffle plate i8 may be supported in the same way.

It is to be particularly noted that in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the lower ends of the tubes l'i terminate in close proximity to the lower face of the plate I2. It is unnecessary to extend the tubes downward into the pan-like baffle plate 22 in this construction because of the skirt or apron 26 which extends down below the marginal flange of the plate 22 and thus forms a trap immersed in the liquid flowing through the tubes and into the lower end of the radiator housing.

It will be noted that in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the skirt or flange 26 constitutes in effect an extension of the tubes H, in other words, in place of having each tube extended below or above the edge of flange to compel the water to pass over or under the edge of the flange, the skirt which constitutes an extension of all of the tubes secures the same effect.

In Fig. 4, the plate 22 is shown as attached to the housing I5, which constitutes a header or chamber, hence when this header or chamber I5 is removed from the frame it which supprots the tubes I1, the plate 22 remains attached to the plate I 2. In Fig. 4, however, the plate 22 is removable with the header, chamber or housing I5.

While in Fig. 3, I have only illustrated the lower end of the radiator, it is to be understood that the upper end of the radiator is constructed in the same manner with, however, the plate 22 inverted just as the plate it is. It is to be understood that the upper end of the radiator might be constructed as shown in Fig. 1, while flow into any tube, thus causing the liquid to flow equally into all of the tubes at the same time, the same being true of the construction of the lower end of the radiator. The provision of the screws 20 and 24 in Fig. 1 permits the level of the liquid above the tubes or below the tubes to be increased or decreased, thereby controlling the flow of the liquid going through the radiator in accordance with the necessities of each case.

While I have illustrated my mechanism as applied to the cooling pipes of a radiator, it is to be understood that this idea may be used in connection with means either for heating or cooling liquids and that I do not wish to be limited to the use of this construction in the radiators of internal combustion engines alone. It is possible to use this equalizing device either at the top or bottom of the radiator or at both of these places. It is more eilicient, however, when used at the top of the radiator than at the bottom. In any case, it is necessary to form an aperture 29 in the top pan to constitute a vent in order to allow free circulation.

What is claimed is:

1. In a heat transfer apparatus of the character described, a plurality of parallel tubes, a header into which the tubes open, the header having a flow opening, the wall of the header through which the tubes project constituting a tube sheet, a skirt secured to the tube sheet and surrounding the area of the sheet through which the tubes open, said skirt extending toward the flow opening, and a baiile plate disposed in said header between the flow opening and the skirt and extending across but in spaced relation to the extremity of the shirt, the plate having a marginal flange surrounding and in spaced relation to the skirt and spaced from the adjacent walls of the header and extending toward the tube sheet to a point beyond the outer edge or" said skirt whereby to equalize the flow through all of said tubes.

2. In a heat transfer apparatus of the character described, a plurality of parallel tubes, a header into which the tubes open, the header having a flow opening, the wall of the header through which the tubes project constituting a tube sheet, a skirt secured to the tube sheet and surrounding the area of the sheet through which the tubes open, said skirt extending toward the flow opening, and a baffle plate disposed in said header between the flow opening and the skirt and extending across but in spaced relation to the extremity of the skirt, the plate having a marginal flange surrounding and in spaced relation to the skirt and spaced from the adjacent walls of the header and extending toward the tube sheet to a point beyond the outer edge of said skirt where by to equalize the flow through all of said tubes, said skirt being mounted upon the header for removal therewith.

HARRY P. BOWSER. 

